Flashlight



Patented Nov. 30, 1948 UNITED FLASHLIGHT Orville n. 'rhumeu and Joseph J. Camisea, Chicago, lll.

Application April 18, 1946, Serial No. 663,188

3Claims.

This invention pertains to a new and improved type of a ashlight. More specifically itis directed to a small type of a portable electric light that can be conveniently carried about in a purse or about the person.

The usual type of electric pocket lights consists of a case or container having therein aprovision to receive one or more battery cells. rIlhese are generally connected by direct or indirect contactv with each other and the bulb thru some switch arrangement. Further, the usual type of pocket light contains many parts, the insulation is weak and its principal drawback is that the amount of light given ofi is small and restricted. Because they lack space, most of the iiashlights have single bulbs of the prefocussed type which cast a rather fixed beam and do not provide sufcient light of a dilused nature for other purposes.

It, therefore is an object of our invention to' provide an arrangement wherein a case made of certain material so that one lamp will serve not only a prefocussed beam but also supply a source of clear and diiused light that is of sufiicient in tensity and brightness to :dnd objects and read by.

Another object of this invention is to'provide an arrangement of batteries within the case. so that positive contact between all live parts of the circuit is instantly available and without un due loss of electric power by resistance.

A further object of our invention is to provide a battery hand lamp having solderless connections which generally corrode and break 01T in course of use and time.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and novel method of mounting a prefocussed type electric light bulb within the case so that both beamed and diiused but clear light is obtained.

A still further and additional object of this invention is to provide an arrangement whereby it is impossible to accidently turn on the light; within a purse or pocket and thus run down the life of the battery cells.

A still further and more important object of our invention is to provide a case of such material which acts as its own reilector and diiuser of light emitted by the incandescent bulb mounted therein.

These and other objects, adaptations, uses, modifications and variations will be readily ap'- parent to one skilled in this art particularly in view of the lucid, deiinite and detailed description Vof the mechanism, the partsthereof` and thel lrecesses l l.

fundamental elements underlying the principles involved in our invention as described hereinbelow and illustrated in the attached drawings forming a part hereof in which:

Figure 1 shows an illustration in perspective of the battery Icase and the external switching mechanism.

Figure2 show a vertical section taken iiatwise thru the center of the mechanism.

Figure 3 is a section somewhat similar to Figure 2, but partially opened to reveal the relationship of the various components within the case.

Figure 4 is a vertical section thru Figure 2 taken along line 4--4 with the battery and light bulb arrangement removed.

Figure 5 is a vertical section thru Figure 2 taken along line 5-5 with the interior components removed..

Figure 6` is a cross section of Figure 2 taken along lines 6-6 showing the arrangement of the switching assembly.

Figure 'l is another cross section of Figure 2 taken along lines 1 1 showing the arrangement vof the sockets or recesses to receive the battery cells.

Like reference characters designate same parts wherever they occurin all of the gures.

Externally, the iiashlight consists of a case or container l0, an electric light bulb 2l) whose beam portion protrudes thru the base, a switch 30 and a channel like metallic bottom plate 40.

The working parts of the flashlight consists of a solid case or container I in which there are bored two parallel tubular stepped recesses l l and I3. The upper part ofthe tubular stepped recess Il opens into the top surface of the case l0 as an aperture l2, thru which protrudes the beam end of the incandescent electric bulb 20.

A spring 22 embraces the lower portion of the beam end of the bulb `29. One end of this spring 22 rests about the aperture l2 in a recessed collar 2d formed within the tubular recess l I. The other end of the spring 22 rests upon and embraces the lower portion of the beam section of the bulb 20. The pressure induced by the spring 22 keeps the Contact base of the bulb 2!! in firm Contact with the electrode 26 of battery 21. Battery cell 2l ts into one of the parallel tubular stepped The bottom of cell 2l is in contact with the metallic channel or battery cell support Ml. Likewise, battery 29, which is insertable in the otherA parallel 4tubular recess i3 rests on its electrode 28, in contact with the base Ml.

To provide a gcodelectrical contact and a tene sion, a coil spring 32 is'used. 1

mirrors, whereby any light rays falling jon them ne end of a spring 32 rests on the bottom of the inverted battery 29, While the other end is crimped and pressed into screw block 34.

Screw block 34 is preferably made of some excellent electrically conductive material. To obtain an effective contact we prefer to have a slot milled in the bottom of the screw block, the end of the wire spring inserted therein and the block edges pinched .together so that'the vwireisheld therebetween by friction. Thus no Vsolder is used and still an effective contact is obtained.

The screw block 34 nts into an upper stepped section of tubular recess I3. Thru the case di) and the screw block 34, is bored a hole 38. This hole 38 extends transverselyuritil it'terrninates in the upper part of the stepped tubular recess Ll l. A threaded bolt 30, extends freely thruthe vbore 3S, in the case and engages the internal threads 36 in the screw block 3L By turning the head -o'f the bolt 3B, clockwise, electrical conta-ct is made with the base 'of 'the incandescent electric :light bulb .2ll, and the i circuit is completedlsinccaall :the cells yare now in series arrangement. Likewise, by turning the head/o'ffthebolt .3U 1in a counter clockwise directionr the electrical circuit is :broken and the electriclight bulb `is extinguished.

The case l though shown as a .rectangular prism can'be of any shape. v4It is made of a transparent materialsu'ch as glass, methacrylate resins, etc. properties lwhich are-utilized'lin our invention. It is preferred'to usethemethacrylate resins v'of .the vclear type. NWe yhave found fthat by Aperr'nittng the beam section oi the incandescent light bulb 2B to protrude slightly thrutheiaperture 12in a mcthacrylate solidblock "case I'El, that the'powerfulbeam effect is retained. At the Asame time, the lower light portion of the bulb 2l) whichithe spring 22 embraces sheds itslight ray into the solid transparent plastic caselli. `This important spreading or diffusing effect is further aided (l) by the position of the incandescent filament which is Within the -'body of the clear plastic; (2) 'the coiled compressed 'spring 22 acts asa diffusing reflector of the straight light rays.A sent vout by the incandescent filament and (3) the edge and top surfaces ofisolidmethacrylateresin caseblock lll,.are unpolished'and act xasinternal are reflected principallythru the clear and 'polishedfaces of the flashlight case.

Along the bottom edge of the voutside of each of polished wall faces of the solidblock ,prism ID, we provide a groove parallel to `the edge. These grooves 4i and 42 receive the .inwardly turned flanges of the legs 43 and '44 of the channel or 'batteryibase li. Since thespringsZZ` and32 exert a pressure on the battery cells '2l and29, they indirectly thru the cells exert pressure upon the channel 40 and grooves 4I and 42. Thus the `entire assembly is held under internal tension.

In operation, the flash light when operating projects a powerful straight line beam ythru the aperture Y l2 in the ,prism Yblock .case lll. lSince the level .of the incandescentfllament is just below the unpolished top surface of the methacrylate block prism, light rays emitted therefrom will be reflected substantially from the inside of the unpolished Yedges of the prism and The latter have some unusual optical 4 polished surface thru which internally created light can be emitted in a diffused form. One or more chambers are provided in the prism to receive battery cells as a source of power to an incandescent electric bulb preferably of the prefocused beam type. An aperture or window is provided in the unpolished surface thru which the beam of light generated from an incandescent bulbcan be projected. Aswitching'means to complete the electrical 'circuit is provided. It is important and vital that the source of light be created Within the interior of the methacrylate 'resin prism, for otherwise no diffused light is obtained. It is also necessary that an aperture IIl lelprovided for otherwise the effect of the beam `i's 'lost within the methacrylate prism.

It is obvious that-by using the extremely simple construction and a solid methacrylate block we have produced a simple but highly desirable ash will come out valong the polished Wall surfaces. D

methacrylate prism :block having -at .least .one

light that is characterized by a powerful beam lightand a-diifusedlight of high intensity. )Further, itl can beproduced economically and quickly.

Itisobvious that vone skilledinthis artcanvary and Ymodify greatly the above model which Lhas been given purely as an example-.and `rnot :as :a limitation Vof -the fundamental concepts underlyingtheprinciples of ourinvention. It, 'therefore,v is intended to claim as our invention all those modifications vvariations and adaptations that come within the spirit and ambit of our invention as defined by the hereunto appended claims.

We claim:

l. An electric lamp adapted for pocket use comprising a solid electrically non conductive plastic .l case,'thesaid case consisting of a clear metha` crylate resin shape, the said shape havingitherein two bored `cavities in parallelrelationship to each other and adapted to receive battery cells, feach of the said bored cavities having smaller diameter concentric bore extensions thereof in like parallel -relationshinfat least one of the 'said smaller bore .extensions terminating in an aperture on the surface of said methacrylate resin shape, an incandescent light bulb protruding slightly thru said aperturera `means for closing and breaking the electrical circuit, a metallic base channel to 'make contact between the' battery cells, opstanding flanges on said channel `with inwardly disposed arms, and grooves on said plastic vcasein juxtaposition with said yinwardly Vdisposed arms, whereby said channel is slidably engaged by and retained in place.

2. The ,product of fclaim '1, Awherein at least one ofthe said faceslof vsaid'clear methacrylate resin shape other than theone'with the said light .bulb receiving-aperture is polished.

3. A:new and improved purse flashlight vcharacterized by `a diffused, clear glow and also beam Alight from onessource of light comprising a case consisting of a clear methacrylate resin solid shape, a .pair of parallel large .cavities bored therein, ta pair of smaller 'cavity extensions of ysaid large cavities concentric therewith, 'one of Ysaid smaller cavities having an internally collared opening onto a light diffusing surface of Isaid methacrylate resin case, an incandescent light :bulb tip nested in said collared opening, with .the :incandescent filament being below :said diusing :,surface, a yspring rmeans Vmounted on said light bulb, adapted to exert pressure on the collar of-.the case andthe :battery cell, the-other smaller cavity containing'aametallic block vand a .bore :therein Vwith internal ithreads, :a transverse .bore thru said acase in juxtaposition .with asaid `.threadedbore -.of isaid block, g;a..-means inserted 5 thru said case bore an-d threaded thru said block bore to make and break contact with the base of said incandescent light bulb, a spring means attached lixedly to said threaded metallic block,

. oppositely disposed battery cells mounted Within ners and grooves in said methacrylate resin shape in parallel juxtaposition with said longitudinal runners adapted to receive slidably said runners.

ORVILLE D. THURNELL. JOSEPH J. CANNISTRA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,127,839 Williamson Feb. 9, 1915 1,392,163 Hoffmann Sept, 27, 1921 15 2,222,303 Shough Nov. 19, 1940 2,373,306 Gits Apr. 10, 1945 

